The Journey of a Non-Runner Turned Marathon Runner

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July Recap and August Goals

July was a really good month. In fact, it was the best month of running I’ve had in a long time. It started out a little rocky, as I was dealing with post RNR Half confidence issues and struggling to believe that sub 3:55 was a realistic goal for Portland.

So I made the decision (with the help of my coach) to move my goal race to CIM, giving me an extra eight weeks to train.

A few days later, I participated in Ragnar, my first relay and an incredible experience. I ran better than I expected, and I left feeling re-charged and excited for CIM.I logged 151 miles in July, which is my highest monthly mileage since March 2013. And unlike in the past when I ran high-for-me mileage, I don’t feel run down or overly tired from the extra miles.

Late-night run at Greenlake.

Overall, it was a super solid month. But there is definitely room for improvement; here are my goals for August.

1. Clean up my diet. For the sake of transparency, I do eat really healthy. BUT lately I’ve been snacking and eating desserts more frequently. I’m not striving for perfection, but it would be good to cut back on the snacking and mindless grazing.

2. More yoga. I’ve been in a yoga rut since Hawaii. It’s been really hard for me to muster the motivation to go, but on the days I do get my stretch on, it always feels amazing. My goal is three classes a week. No excuses.

3. Get back into a routine with my rehab exercises. Up until Ragnar, I was very diligent about doing rehab exercises five times a week. Since Ragnar, I’ve averaged three times a week. Not acceptable.

4. Soak up the last month of summer.

If I’m being honest, I’m looking forward to fall (specifically pumpkin flavored everything, hot soup and running in long sleeve shirts). BUT we are having a fantastic summer, and I need to enjoy the weather while it lasts.